Ancient Evil
by Anone
Summary: What can I say? Tai gets taken over by a evil digimon from the past, Izzy likes Kari, etc, etc, It's really good stuff, I swear! There's cops and a reward for Tai's capture! Read and review!!
1. Awakening

A/N: Okay, this story was a dream I had, and I figured I would grab the idea and run with it. It turned out pretty well I thought. I don't know when the next chapter will be done, but I'm workin on it right now. ^_^ My disclaimer is, I don't own Digimon, but I do own this story. Read and Review, ~~ Suzaku  
  
P.S., I'm workin on a pic to go with this story, I'll tell you when I'm done, so I can E-mail it to people who wanna see it.  
  
  
  
Ancient Evil  
By Suzaku  
  
  
  
  
"Field Trip. The two words that stand for freedom, freedom from a teen's everyday school life. Sure, teachers think it's "educational" and, "enlightening" to today's young minds, but what they *don't* know, is that it's REALLY an undercover conspiracy, aiding teens to fulfill all that they can't do on school grounds, and giving them the ultimate privilege to do as they please."   
  
The reporter paused, raising his crimson eyebrows in effort to give his statement a dramatic effect.   
  
"Will teachers ever realize their wrong doing in granting our children these, "field trips"? Or will they forever be blinded from the truth? The horrible, bloody truth? Join me, Koushiro Izumi, for this week's episode of Unsolved Mysteries."  
  
Matt and Tai burst into peals of laughter, leaning heavily on the cheap, leather, bus seats. Izzy lowered his makeshift microphone; a pencil with a bulky eraser stuck on the end, and with mild fascination he watched them chortle away.  
  
"Izzy...sometimes...you're so stupid...you're funny." Tai choked between his insane fits of giggling. Matt bit his tongue in effort to stop laughing. It only made it sound higher, and more like staccato gasps. Izzy smirked.   
  
"Interesting laugh Matt."  
  
"Shut up you..." He teased.   
  
After several deep breaths, they calmed down.  
  
Tai fixed Izzy with his playful brown eyes. "Seriously Izz, how can you do stuff like that with a straight face? When I try doing it, it comes out like this."  
  
He sat straight up, and attempted to harden his features into a look of cheesy seriousness. He snatched the pencil easily from Izzy's grasp, and brought it up to his mouth.   
  
"F-field trip. Ummm... the 3, errr... 2 words that...ummmm..." His cold look dissolved instantly, and he launched into another set of insane laughter, as did Matt.   
  
Izzy rolled his eyes. "You guys are so immature..."  
  
That only seemed to encourage them.   
  
"He-he sounds like Mimi!!" yipped Matt.  
  
Izzy frowned.  
  
"I do not!!"  
  
Matt clutched the top of the seat in front of him, and struggled to grab his breath. His eyes were red and wet from the tears of joy that had slipped down his cheeks.  
  
"Okay... I wanna try too..."   
  
Tai handed the microphone over with a wavering grin.  
  
Matt masked his features in a look of stone cold resolve, and began.  
  
Well, he tried to, but the dopey grin on Tai's face made him break down before he had even spoken the first syllable. Izzy couldn't help but snicker this time, and so the three boys joked and laughed all the way from Odaiba High to the museum in Kyoto.  
  
************  
  
...1527 years ago...  
  
"It is time to depart my lord, the enemy forces near us."  
  
Sitting in the cradling grasp of a cold, stone, throne, a demonic figure rubbed his chin thoughtfully.   
  
"Very well my friend. You have served me well and faithfully, and you won't be forgotten."  
  
The shorter figure dipped his head in acknowledgement. "It has been a pleasure my lord."  
  
"You may take your leave now."  
  
"Yes sir."   
  
The robed creature shuffled out of the room, leaving only the pattering of rain on the stronghold's roof to ease the demon.  
  
~I must store my power... somewhere. The Digidestined may have the strength to defeat me now, but it is a well-known fact that this puny race replaces strength for knowledge throughout the years.~  
  
He cackled, and he was slowly eaten up into a fine Digidust from the feet up. Instead of disappearing, the black particles swirled, and melted back together, forming a thin, oblong, shape. Everything from his chest down, was now gone. He laughed again, but it was much more hollow... and distant.  
  
~Someone in the future will unleash me, God help his doomed soul. That is when I will once again reign over BOTH worlds, this one and the digital one.~   
  
He laughed once more, and the last of him scattered, completing the evil treasure that lay presently dormant on the marble floor.  
  
*************   
  
Matt, Tai, and Izzy, strolled along the halls of the museum, pointing and laughing at display cases as they walked by. Leave it to a bunch of boys to find something funny about the separation process of an amoeba in the bloodstream of an African Gypsy Monkey.  
  
They left the biology theme room, and found themselves in the main hallway, surrounded by many other doorways, each with bright labels above them. Izzy pointed to one that read, "Ancient Myths of Odaiba."  
  
"Let's go there!!" He shouted enthusiastically.  
  
Matt and Tai groaned. "You *would* pick something dorky like that."  
  
Izzy sniffed. "Well, I'm in going whether you come or not." He walked towards the room, half hoping that they would come with him, they were pretty amusing to be with.  
  
Tai and Matt exchanged glances, then shrugged in unison, and followed Izzy to their next attraction.  
  
No sooner had they entered the stuffy chamber, than Izzy called them over. The smaller boy was staring with interest at a rusted, black, sword; one could barely make out crude engravings on its side.   
  
"So? It's just a stupid sword." Tai remarked.  
  
Izzy ignored him. "Do you see the writing on the side??"   
  
"Ummm..." he strained his eyes, and the odd markings slowly came into focus. "Yeah, I see em'."   
  
"Don't you recognize it Tai?"  
  
Matt wasn't about to be left out, so he to stole a glance at the corroded sword. His eyes widened at the alien hieroglyphs carved into the blade.  
  
"Izzy, is that what I think it is?"  
  
Izzy nodded vigorously.  
  
Tai still didn't understand what they were seeing. "What is it you guys??"   
  
Matt and Izzy answered him in unplanned unison,  
  
"It's Digicode!!"  
  
Tai's eyes widened. "Digicode huh? I shoulda known that."  
  
They were silent for a second, as their minds raced with the possible histories of this digital weapon.   
  
Matt glanced at Izzy. "Can you read it?"  
  
"The Digicode?"  
  
"YES the Digicode!!"  
  
Izzy winced. "No..."  
  
Out of the blue, Tai stated: "I can."   
  
The two boys stared, unbelieving, at Tai.  
  
"Ha, ha, stop joking Tai." Matt snorted.  
  
He smiled somewhat proudly. "No, seriously. I can. Agumon taught me."  
  
Taichi squinted through the glass case, the glare of fluorescent lights made it really hard to see.   
  
"I-I can't see it very well..."  
  
Matt stood over him, blocking all the light from hitting the glass. "Better?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks."  
  
Tai stared at the symbols, reading silently to himself.  
  
"Many years from the Day of Dawn,   
I shall return from the abyss beyond.  
The Keeper of Courage---   
  
Tai grinned. ~Now who could that be?~  
  
The Keeper of Courage,  
Will from that day hold,  
The powers of evil,  
For from me they unfold.  
When he reads,   
What now is inscribed,  
He has unleashed the power,   
Of the, n---ni---? He couldn't read the rest of it, but then again, he didn't think he wanted too.  
  
Tai frowned. A feeling of uneasiness spread over him. Izzy and Matt looked at him questioningly.   
  
"What is it Tai?" Izzy queried.  
  
"Yeah, what's got ya spooked?" Matt chimed in.   
  
"Nothing. Let's get out of here." He said flatly.  
  
Izzy's eyebrows knit. "Tell me what it said Tai!!"  
  
"No! Let's just out of here befo---- agrh!!"  
  
An aching pain jolted him in the head, and he lost feeling of his legs, and crumpled to the ground. He grabbed Izzy's arm, almost pulling him down with him.   
  
The sound of shattering glass could be heard behind them, and they whipped their gazes around just in time to see the now-glowing sword fly towards them. Tai rolled over, just missing the blade as it whizzed by his ear.  
  
Amidst all the ruckus, Matt managed to shout, "Tai whatid you do??"   
  
"Nothing!" he lied. "I told you we needed to get out of here!!"  
  
The sword zoomed around the room in a sideways arc, scattering people and sending them running out of the room.  
  
It rocketed towards the three boys again, and Matt and Izzy ducked just in time. Tai stumbled into a standing position. This was his doing, and he would have to stop it *somehow.*   
  
The sword completed another curve, and once again it charged them. Tai held his ground.  
  
"Tai! Move it!" Matt shouted while scrambling to the right.  
  
~What is that crazy guy doing?~ Izzy asked himself.  
  
The sword was merely a few feet away. Tai calmly stretched out his arm, and opened his hand. He closed his eyes in apprehension, and felt the sword slowly come to a rest in his grasp. His eyes shot open again.   
  
"Wow..."  
  
Matt and Izzy looked at him, amazed at what he had just done. Suddenly Tai snarled in fury and threw the sword to the ground.   
  
"What is it Tai?" Matt asked, walking towards him.   
  
Tai whipped around, and faced Matt with an expression of pure terror.   
  
"Don't touch it Matt, it's- it's black magic, or evil. I-I think it holds the power of some sort of evil digimon."  
  
All three stared numbly at the sword. Their muscles were tense, as if the sword was about to grow teeth and legs.  
  
"NO!" Tai suddenly screamed.  
  
Matt and Izzy's jaws hit the ground. Tai was... floating! A dull purple aura surrounded him, identical to the one the sword had just a while ago.   
  
Matt grabbed his friend's shoe, and tried to pull him down.  
  
"I DON'T THINK SO!!" A foreboding voice roared.   
  
Matt was thrown to the ground by some mysterious force, and Izzy was knocked down as well. Tai seemed to have stopped floating, but was now hanging out of their reach. He seemed tense and strained, as if he were fighting something.  
  
"Guys..." Tai begged hoarsely, his eyes watering. "Help me guys..."  
  
The sword slowly hovered off the floor, and floated towards Taichi. It flipped in midair, righting itself. The ancient artifact came to a rest in front of him. The bottom glowed a brilliant orange, and soon ribbons of this orange energy coiled its way up the sword. When it reached the top, it put on an amazing speed, and ricocheted off the slanted tip, burning towards Tai. He screamed as the writhing streams of energy hit him in the chest. Instantly, he went limp, still suspended in the air.  
  
Matt and Izzy watched in horror, for as the orange energy emptied into the lifeless body of their friend, he began to... change. Green wings sprouted from his back, tender as a new plant. They arched into huge claws near the top middle section of the wing, and several bony membranes curved out from that, fanning into three different sections, and ending with a delicate curl. The whole wingspan was about eight feet.   
  
Tai's eyes snapped open, and Izzy gasped. His once brown eyes swirled with red, and the crimson color was slowly taking over, encasing the chocolate orbs.   
  
Tai's long fingers sprouted golden claws, and his fingernails melted away. Slowly, his purple aura dulled, and the sword stopped glowing as well, then clattered to the ground.   
  
Tai floated slowly back to the tiled floor, and slumped to the ground as soon as his shoes brushed the heavily waxed marble. Matt dashed over to him, regarding him as if he would wake up and attack any second.   
  
The blonde put a tentative hand out, and gently brushed Tai's wing. He yelped and brought his hand away. The wings, they were so hot!!   
  
Izzy's heart was beating a million miles an hour. They shouldn't be here. They needed to leave, now! They had to warn the rest of the museum. He tugged on Matt's black shirt.  
  
"Matt, we need to go." He started softly.  
  
"What about Tai? He might be hurt." Mat pleaded.  
  
"C'mon Matt. I think Tai is perfectly capable of fending for himself."  
  
"But..."  
  
"We have to warn the museum."  
  
Matt was beginning to get angry. "Why??"  
  
"Well, I have a hypothesis that when he wakes up, he won't be acting himself."  
  
"But, what if he is still unconscious when somebody finds him?"  
  
Izzy winced. "I hadn't though of that..."  
  
Matt grabbed Tai's wrist, his thumb on the top and other fingers pushing from the bottom, the way Jyou had taught him all those years ago. ~His pulse is normal.~  
  
Izzy glanced at Tai, then back at Matt, staring into him with those empty black eyes. "Okay, here's the plan, we get him to wake up, and as SOON as you see ANY movement, run for it."  
  
Matt nodded, and nudged Tai's cheek with his fist. Nothing. He grabbed a handful of brown hair, and pulled. Harder. HARDER. Still, no change. Izzy pushed Matt gently aside.   
  
"Let ME handle this."  
  
Matt crossed his arms and sneered. "Oh like YOU can do any better."  
  
Izzy nodded, and pushed two fingers down on the base of Tai neck. Matt face-faulted.   
  
"Stoppit Izzy! Your gonna kill him!"  
  
"Please Matt, have some faith in me."  
  
He pushed his fingers down harder, until he could feel the tiny bones in Tai's neck. Tai coughed, moaned, and shifted slightly.   
  
Izzy bolted up. "Let's go Matt!"  
  
Matt nodded sadly, and they ran out of the room without another look at their fallen friend.  
  
*************  
  
Tai felt someone touching him, now pressing, and it was very uncomfortable. He wanted to wake up, to see what had happened. But he was just too tired. He slowly opened his eyes, and gasped. He was surrounded by many small digimon, each with murder in their eyes.   
  
Suddenly finding his energy, he bolted upright, and scrambled against the nearest wall.   
  
"What do you guys want??" he shouted angrily.  
  
A large Elecmon toddled forwards. "We're waiting for our Master..."  
  
A second digimon, a Floramon, walked towards Tai as well. "You have our master..."  
  
On cue, all of them started chanting. Tai cringed, and stumbled to his feet. Something bumped him, or did he bump something? This was weird. Tai glanced sideways, and noticed the green wing folded up around his side. He yelped, and ran, not knowing that the wings were *his.* He approached the opposite wall, and was forced to stop running. He noted in dismay that the wings were there. Tai scratched the sore skin at the base of his new wing, and winced.  
  
~I need to cut my nails...~   
  
Fearing the worst, he brought his hand in front of him, and almost fainted. He was the new owner of some flashy golden talons. He glared at the horde of evil digimon with a new fear and anger.  
  
"What did you do to me??" he sobbed.   
  
The digimon didn't answer, but stared at the teen patiently, as if they were waiting for something. Tai clenched his fist.   
  
~I'll give them something to wait for!!~   
  
He shouted a war cry, and charged the digimon, baring his claws like a raptor. The digimon scattered, still staring at him with blank eyes. He whipped his hand sideways, grazing the rocky skin of a Gotsumon, and filling the room with an ear-popping screech.   
  
The Gotsumon winced, and narrowed his haunting yellow eyes. His arm arose, his hand in a fist. Suddenly, his fingers shot open, and he shouted, "Attack!!" Tai whirled around to face a wall of ferocious digimon. This is where he had to put his new "skills" to the test.  
  
*************  
  
Matt and Izzy ran to the lobby as fast as their legs would allow, and finally reached the managers office. Without knocking, they burst in, earning a horrified glare from the bald man reclining in his leather seat.  
  
"Excuse me sir, you have got to evacuate the museum immediately!" Matt begged urgently.  
  
The tall man's eyes softened. "Calm down, tell me what's wrong boys."  
  
Matt rolled his eyes. "We don't have time, everyone in the museum is already in danger!"  
  
On cue, two people ran past the office door, screaming and trying desperately to reach an exit.   
  
Izzy smacked his forehead. "Too late."  
  
Sensing the danger, the manager snapped on a microphone, and shouted warnings into it. "This is your Kyoto Museum manager speaking, everyone is too immediately evacuate the building, calmly and quietly!"  
  
He repeated it several more times, and Matt and Izzy were somewhat relieved as they saw the wave of tense people flooding out the glass entrance.  
  
The manager clicked off his microphone, satisfied. Then he turned to the boys.  
  
"Now, I want you to show me what's wrong."  
  
Matt and Izzy sweatdropped.   
  
"Well, it's kinda something that you wouldn't understand." Matt tried pathetically to explain.  
  
The manager cocked one of his thin eyebrows up.  
  
Izzy scratched his head. "You see sir, it has to do with something that me and a few other kids are responsible for..."  
  
The manager slammed his fist down on the desk. "You mean YOU'RE responsible for this??"  
  
Izzy blanched, and Matt shrank away. "No! I didn't mean it that way!! I mean, the origins of this... problem, has to do with an artifact... from a land that me and my friends are supposed to take care of...."  
  
Matt rolled his eyes. ~Why does it always sound so stupid when we try to explain about the Digital World?~   
  
The man's mustache twitched in the most odd fashion. He got out of his seat, and opened the door. He stiffly pointed towards the main lobby.   
  
"I want you boys out of here, and I never want to see the likes of you again!!"  
  
With a yelp, the Digidestineds of knowledge and friendship scrambled out of the room, the door slamming behind them.  
  
Matt sighed and sank to the floor. "That went well..."  
  
Izzy put his hands on his hips. "Well at least we successfully evacuated the premises."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
*************  
Tai launched himself into the air; it hadn't take long for him to get used to his new wings. The rookie and champion level digimon that weren't lying injured on the floor shot their attacks at Tai. He dodged them with ease.   
  
The Keeper of Courage veered left, as a stray attack flew past him and shattered a window. He dove downwards, lashing out left and right at the rowdy digimon. Three more of them fell to Tai's hard blows.   
  
Tai grinned; the mob of digimon that had ambushed him before had quickly been reduced to only 4 monsters.  
  
He was so caught up in the heat of battle that he ran straight into the wall with a CRUNCH!' He was thrown backwards, and flopped to the floor like an old rag doll.  
  
Taichi groaned, and found himself looking into the triumphant eyes of four evil digimon. He closed his eyes, and braced himself for their inevitable blows.  
  
************  
  
"Let's go get Tai, and then get outta here before Baldy calls the police on us."  
  
Izzy nodded unsurely, and they sprinted up the grand staircase to where Tai last presided.  
  
They raced in the room, to find it littered with broken glass and the shattered remains of other artifacts. Izzy groaned.   
"What has Tai done?"  
  
They found their troubled friend huddled in the corner, shuddering, his eyes squeezed shut. Matt crouched next to his friend, and patted him lightly on the shoulder. The next thing he knew, he was being flipped upside down, and he hit the ground. Tai's crimson eyes widened.   
  
"Matt? I'm sorry! I-I thought you were..." His voice trailed off as he eyed the room suspiciously. "Who did this?"  
  
Izzy finished helping Matt up. "YOU did it Tai."  
  
Tai arched one of his brown eyebrows up. "No I didn't. I was fighting off those evil digimon."  
  
Matt couldn't help but smirk. "So Tai, since when have you been having these hallucinations?"  
  
Tai bolted up, and ran around the room, peeking behind doors, under busted platforms, and beneath the rubble that was once the room of "Ancient Myths of Odaiba." There were no traces of proof that this room had held a mob of digimon only moments before.   
  
Tai gazed at his friends pleadingly. "They were right here! Just a second ago! THEY must of done all this when they tried to attack me!! I guess I just didn't notice it before..."  
  
Izzy picked up a ripped piece of velvet that had once lined a display. He held it up in front of Tai.  
  
"Look Tai, this is ripped. It hasn't been subjected to any unnatural forces such as fire or toxins."  
  
"So?? It could've been ripped by a digimon with claws!"  
  
Izzy nodded politely. "That's true Tai, but NONE of this rubble has been scorched or hit by any bursts of tangible energy."  
  
Tai stared at the rubble. Izzy was right. There were no marks that signified it was hit by a Digimon's attack.   
  
Matt decided he would do what he was best at, make Tai angry. "So, that materiel must have been ripped by you, cause YOU have claws! You must of done all of this!"   
  
He picked up a jagged piece of a red vase. "See, look at the gold scratch marks on this. I'll bet they're from YOUR shiny fingernails!"  
  
Tai grit his teeth, and decided that in this situation, words COULD speak as loud as actions. He bared his claws, and demonstrated their power by swiping the air only inches away from Matt's head. He opened his palm to his friend, and it revealed a few tiny strands of blonde hair.   
  
"I ALWAYS hit my target Matt." Tai stated threateningly.  
  
Matt fell silent, and backed away, casting a peeved glance at Izzy; the auburn-haired boy was silently snickering. Izzy stopped laughing, and looked sheepishly at Tai; he wanted to keep all of his hair. "Ummm... I hate to say this Tai, but all the evidence DOES seem to point to you."  
  
Tai groaned and ran his fingers through his bushy hair. "Whatever, let's just get out of here."   
  
His two comrades nodded, and Matt and Izzy ran out of the room while Tai flew above them, not missing the opportunity to show off.   
  
Although he had been scared when he had first received his wings, he loved them now. After all, who DOESN'T dream of flying? Tai was certainly no exception. He loved the wind coursing through his hair, and being able to see everyone under him, while he glided effortlessly through the air.  
  
His heart lurched when they were in view of the magnificent glass doors, for outside was a police car, and two policeman were ambling in, walkie-talkies in hand. Tai veered upwards, landing on a banister that circled around the domed roof. Matt and Izzy ducked behind a wall, and glanced up at Tai. Tai gave them the signal to run, but they didn't budge. The police were rounding the corner that would lead them straight into Matt and Izzy, but the two boys didn't see it.   
  
Tai swooped downwards, as silent as a swan, and landed in front of Matt and Izzy.   
  
"Move it you guys!" he shouted.   
  
They ran, boosted by the surprise of seeing Tai suddenly appear in front of them. The police scrambled into view, in a rush to ready their weapons. They gasped at the sight of Tai, and managed to wrestle their guns out of their holsters. The first policeman, a man with gray wiry hair, ordered Tai to hold still. He grinned.  
  
"Certainly."   
  
The two officers started forward, extra wary of this strange... person. The second policeman, a limber young male with a uniform that was two sizes too small, brandished the handcuffs. With the chain that connected the two restraints exposed, Tai lashed out and broke the chain with a karate chop motion of his claws. The police stared at him wide eyed. The gray haired policeman numbly raised the walkie-talkie to his mouth. Before he could request for back up, Tai grabbed it, threw it up in the air, and obliterated it with yet another well placed swipe of his talons.   
  
Tai stamped his shoe impatiently, a snide grin spreading across his tanned face. "Look, are you gonna arrest me or not?"   
  
All the police could do was stare at Tai. Whether they were staring in awe or horror was a mystery to even him.   
  
"Well, if your not gonna arrest me, then I guess I'll be leaving now." With that, he flew down the Victorian hallway and caught up with his fleeing friends.  
  
  
************  
  
Three figures worked their way from Kyoto to Odaiba, a metropolitan city of Japan. They slunk down alleyways when possible, always staying with the shadows. After what seemed like forever, they reached they're destination.  
  
Tai, Izzy, and Matt flattened themselves against the apartment wall. Matt glanced at Tai.  
  
"Are your sure your mom won't be home?"  
  
Tai nodded. "Kari will be there though."  
  
Izzy kneaded his fingers together. "Okay, we'll go up to your apartment, and make sure Kari doesn't get freaked out, and then you fly up and enter through the fire escape balcony."  
  
Tai nodded in affirmation.   
  
Matt brushed the golden hair out of his cerulean eyes. "Be careful man."  
  
The two boys rounded the corner of the towering building, leaving Tai in the cool shade of the back alley. He sighed. It was amazing how he could make his way down downtown Odaiba with two emerald wings folded against his sides.   
  
A trashcan beside him fell over, screeching loudly on the black pavement. Tai's heart leapt up into his throat, and he whipped around to face whatever awaited him. His red eyes narrowed and he growled.  
  
"It's YOU again...."   
  
*************  
  
Kari took another sip of her pop, tipping her head backwards to empty her can. She crunched it in her strong grasp, and then turned to face Matt and Izzy, who had also emptied their own sodas. Gatomon, despite her disgust towards the idea, sat on the floor, lapping up some warm milk.  
  
"So... he's like a dragon thing?"  
  
Before Matt could somehow insult Tai, Izzy answered the younger girl.   
  
"That is probable, but we have no sure way of telling, you'll see when he comes in."  
  
They all glanced at the open balcony, awaiting Tai's arrival. Kari couldn't deny she was a bit excited. It was not every day your brother gained the ability to fly. When she first heard the news, she had wanted to race downstairs and check on Tai herself, but they had managed to persuade her to relax.  
  
"He should be flying in any second now." Matt said half-heartedly.  
  
Gatomon hopped up into Kari's lap. "I dunno Kari, I never heard of an evil digimon who put himself in a sword. Sounds kinda weird to me..."  
  
Minutes passed, and he didn't come. Matt roamed casually out onto the balcony, and spotted Tai, doing some sort of... dance or, new fighting style. The brown haired boy brought his hand down in one place, and kicked in another. His wings beat the air, as he twirled upwards, and then dove down like an eagle going in for the kill.   
  
Izzy came up on one side of Matt, and Kari behind them.  
  
"What's he doing Matt?" she asked fearfully.   
  
Matt rolled his eyes, and tried to lighten the mood. "Who knows with him."  
  
Kari had left though, with Gatomon on her shoulder, running to her brother's aid. Izzy was about to go after her, but Matt put his hand on his shoulder. "Juss let her, she can't hurt anything." Izzy nodded, not finding enough energy to protest.   
  
Yamato and Koushiro watched Tai with an unyielding interest. Whatever he was doing, he did it well, and he used his claws and wings expertly, like he had had them since birth. It was not long before Kari skirted around the corner.   
  
**********  
Kari could hear the sounds of struggling as she neared the edge of the building. She stood in the entrance to the alleyway, and almost laughed. ALmost. Her brother was flying this way and that, knocking down soggy cardboard boxes and metal trashcans, and ripping apart trash with his golden claws.   
  
She put her hands on her hips. "Tai, what are you doing?"   
  
The boy stopped, his chest heaving as he panted for breath. He scanned her curiously, and then looked behind him, and finally, he gazed upwards, where Matt and Izzy waved at him while they snickered. He wiped his sweaty forehead, and brushed some wet strands of hair out of his eyes.  
  
"What's going on Kari?" he questioned.  
  
"That's what *I* wanna know, Tai."  
  
Tai gestured around him. "Didn't you see the... the digimon?"  
  
Kari frowned, and walked towards her brother. "Tai, are you okay?"  
  
He beat his wings irritably a few times, and Kari giggled. Tai grinned and arched one of his brown eyebrows.   
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
She bit her lip. "Notheen..."  
  
His smile took a more devilish turn as he had an idea. Sweeping Kari up in his grasp, the sixteen year old flew a squealing girl, and a yowling cat seven stories up and onto their balcony.  
  
*************  
  
The Digidestineds of Light, Courage, Friendship, and Knowledge sat around the table, downing their third or fourth sodas, and counting the minutes until Tai and Kari's mother returned home.  
  
"So Tai." Izzy started, setting his can down. "What exactly DID the sword say?"  
  
Tai grinned. "Nothing, swords don't talk."  
  
Kari and Izzy giggled, and Matt snorted.  
  
"Seriously Tai..."  
  
Tai shrugged, staring into the brown depths of his coke. "I can't remember."  
  
Matt rolled his eyes. "How could you forget it already Tai?"   
  
Tai glared at Matt. "Gee Matt, you make it sound like this whole thing happened just minutes ago..." he snapped.   
  
Matt got up, shoved his chair back into place, and stormed off. The sound of the TV being turned on floated in from the living room, and for some odd reason Tai scowled and copied Matt's movements, but instead trudged back to his room.   
  
Izzy stared awkwardly at the table, not knowing what to do with Kari. He didn't want to be rude and leave her, but he also didn't know what to say. The more he thought about these things, he began to turn red. He heard Kari giggle.   
  
"You can leave if you want Issy-chan." At that, he turned an unbelievable sunburn-red, mumbled "arigatou," and scrambled into the living room. If you were too wait a few minutes later, you would hear Matt laughing to the point of rolling off the couch.   
  
Izzy shuffled out of the living room, making sure not to make eye contact with Kari, the reason Matt had laughed at him in the first place. Sometimes that Ishida boy could be so insensitive towards other people's emotions.  
  
He walked into Tai's room, and found his "leader" cutting holes in the shoulder blades off all his shirts.   
  
Koushiro grinned. "Do I even WANT to know what your doing?"  
  
Taichi finished cutting the second hole, and threw the shirt into the pile of other mutilated T-shirts.  
  
"I'm just making wing holes."  
  
Izzy smiled, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "How clever of you, need any help?"  
  
*************  
  
Gatomon purred as Kari stroked her glossy fur. "I think Izzyyyyyyy likesssss you...."she crooned. Kari smiled. "Nah..."  
  
*************  
  
Matt scanned aimlessly through the channels. Then something caught his eye. He yelled at the others to come watch, as the newscaster began.  
  
"Today in Kyoto Museum, a series of odd events led to the sighting of a mysterious creature described as a teenaged boy with "dragon wings." Our witnesses are respected officers, Captain Hasegawa and his partner Hayashi Iranai."  
  
The microphone was shoved into the policemen's face, which were white and drawn. The older one spoke.   
  
"He didn't hurt us, but he obviously had amazing power, he broke these with one swipe of his hands!" He held up the handcuffs, which each had nothing but a stub of jagged metal to prove that there was once a chain connecting them.  
  
Tai had suddenly appeared by the TV and was buffing his fingernails as he listened to tales of his amazing new strengths. Matt rolled his eyes. The policemen continued telling their story, and then they said something that made Tai's blood run with ice.   
  
"If you see this creature, call us at 577-9133, a 4000$ dollar reward is being offered at a solid lead. We will capture this creature as soon as possible, just be on your guard until we can."  
  
Matt stared at Tai, as if he were deciding what to do with them. Tai meanwhile, glared at the TV.   
  
"That's no fair! I didn't do anything but break some stupid handcuffs and a walkie-talkie!!"  
  
The TV newscaster had a good comeback. "This is the most recent picture of the damage done by this monster."   
  
The TV screen now modeled a black and white picture of the obliterated "Ancient Myths of Odaiba" room. Tai scratched the back of his neck.  
  
"Ooops. Guess I forgot about that..."  
  
Matt switched the TV off, and regarded Tai with a adventurous grin. "What are we gonna do with you Tai?"  
  
Before Tai could answer, Izzy closed his laptop and stated: "I just hacked into the museum's security system."  
  
Matt and Tai jerked their gazes towards the smaller boy.  
  
"You did what??" Matt hissed.  
  
Izzy waved Matt away. "How many times do I have to ask you to have some faith in me? All I did was scan through the security cameras pictures and delete all the ones that had Tai in it."   
  
Matt sighed. "Good thinking Izz."  
  
Kari plopped down on the couch. She fixed Tai with her light brown eyes. "I dunno how Tai, but somehow we're gonna have to hide you."  
  
Tai nodded grimly, and stretched his wings to their full length. "These are gonna be a bit harder to hide than these." He held up his hands, exposing his ten golden claws.  
  
Izzy studied Tai, dissecting in his mind all the possibilities of how they could hide Tai, or at least cover for his identity.  
  
"Perhaps you could assume someone who was about to go to a costume party." He suggested.   
  
Tai shrugged. "It sounds good to me, but what if Mom or Dad has seen the news, and recognizes me?"   
  
Izzy was ready for that. "Just tell them that your dressing up as this guy instead of actually *being* him."  
  
Tai smiled and nodded. "I think we should give it a go."  
  
There was a sudden knock out at the door that almost gave them a heart attack. Matt started shouting orders. "Okay Tai, get in your room for now, and we'll...introduce you in your new style."  
  
Tai put his hands on his hips. "What am I a kindergartner?"   
  
"Just do it!!" He turned to Kari and Izzy. "Kari, you get the door, and Izzy, just act natural. We'll say we're waiting for Tai to put on his... costume." Izzy nodded, and Kari bounded of to answer their visitor.  
  
Matt sat on the couch, next to Izzy, his heart racing unmercifully. They each strained their ears, listening for their visitor's voice. Matt sighed. "It's just TK..."  
  
At that moment, the blonde boy walked into the room grinning. "What do you mean, it's *just* TK?"  
  
Patamon hovered off of TK's head, and landed in front of Gatomon. The two digimon exchanged greetings, and then walked out on the balcony.  
  
Matt smiled, and embraced his brother in a quick hug. "Well squirt, long time no see."  
  
TK nodded. "Yep."  
  
Matt elbowed TK in the ribs, causing him to stumble really close to Kari. TK and Kari blushed, and Matt snickered.  
  
"Have ya come a courtin TK?" TK turned beet red and Kari giggled, while a twinge of jealousy pulled at Izzy's heart.  
  
TK eyed the room suspiciously. "Where's Tai? Did you tie him up and take over his house again?"  
  
Matt laughed. "No. He's ummm...aww hell. We don't have to hide anything from you."  
  
TK frowned. "Watch your language Matt."  
  
Yamato snorted.  
  
"So..." TK started. "Why *are* you hiding Tai from me?"  
  
They walked down the hallway, and stopped at Tai's door. Matt knocked gently. "Tai, it's only TK."  
  
A low, cold, voice answered them, though it was lined with giggles. "Send him in."  
  
Matt rolled his eyes, opened the door, shoved TK in, and closed the door to prevent his escaping. There was the sound of scuffling, and TK saying "What the hell!" several times, and finally, ending with both Tai and TK screaming, and then a single, sickening, thud.   
  
Matt charged in, prepared to kill if someone hurt TK. Instead, he found Tai standing over his younger brother, staring at the unconscious boy with a silly smirk on his face.  
  
"I guess I scared him more than I meant too..."  
  
Matt scowled at the fun-loving Tai, and managed to heave TK onto Tai's bed.  
  
"May I ask exactly what procedure you utilized that would cause Takeru to faint?" Izzy queried.  
  
"Awww... It was nothin. Just the simple jump-out-of-the-closet-and-scream-while-the-victim-is-lookin-at-the-pile-of-ripped-clothes-trick."  
  
"Ah..."  
  
Kari gave the "Victory sign" and pushed the boys out of the room. "Don't worry!" she reassured. "*I'll* take care of him!"  
  
The boys left, not without the chorus of whistles and kissing sounds though.   
  
Back on the couch, Matt looked at Tai. "Do you realize that we have just locked are younger siblings in a room together without any supervision?"  
  
Tai thought about that for a second, and then they both were at his door in a second, pounding and demanding them to open it. Kari came to the door. Her face was red and she was grinning so hard that her cheeks hurt. TK was sitting up in Tai's bed, a little dazed. A disoriented grin was on his face, as were several pink smudge marks. Kari giggled, and squeezed through Matt and Tai and into the hallway.  
  
"Don't worry Matt, I fixed him."  
  
*************  
  
Tai stayed holed up in his room for the rest of the day, ripping his shirts and doing other things to keep him busy. His parents came home, and he shouted a hello from his room. Thankfully, they hadn't demanded him to come out of his room yet, but dinner was just minutes away...  
  
"Tai! Come out of your room! It's time for dinner."   
  
Tai cringed, and prayed they would buy the story that his "new look" was all a costume. Kari had told them that it was all for a party, but they had learned from experience that you couldn't always trust your kids.  
  
He shuffled silently into the dining room, and his parents gasped.  
  
"Tai! Those wings look so real! Where did you get them?" He mom mused.  
  
"Ermm..." Tai cast a desperate look at Kari.   
  
She shrugged, and he decided to say the first thing that came to mind. "Izzy made them for me."  
  
"Izzy made them for you?"  
  
Kari giggled, and Tai glared coldly at her. "Yeah..."  
  
"Well, then they must be really high tech huh?" His dad guessed.  
  
"Yep."  
  
His dad frowned. "How are your eyes red like that?"   
  
"Contacts." Tai replied nervously.  
  
His mom stared at his wings, entranced. "Do they move?"  
  
Tai nodded solemnly, and unfurled the leathery appendages. Mrs. Yagami squealed in delight, and his dad nodded approvingly.   
  
"My..." his Mom marveled. "That Koushiro has been busy lately."   
  
Tai frowned. "Yeah..." ~If only then knew the truth~  
  
Mr. Yagami took a heart bite if meat, and said sarcastically from behind a mouthful of food: "I'll bet it even flies, eh son?"  
  
Tai grinned mischievously. Completely ignoring Kari's "don't do it," signal, he willed his wings to beat, and they obeyed him, as easy as the movement of an arm or leg. Within a second, he was in the air, and his parents were staring numbly at him. His father dropped his fork, which hit his plate and tumbled onto the floor. His mom held her hand against her forehead, and then fainted.   
  
Tai frowned, and lit back on the wooden floor. "Damn... that's the second time today."   
  
*************  
  
"Izumi residence, this is Koushiro speaking."   
  
"Hello Izzy-chan. This is Mrs. Yagami."  
  
Izzy grimaced. ~Oh no...~  
  
"I just want to congratulate you on your wings."  
  
"Wings?"  
  
"The ones you made for Tai."  
  
Izzy covered the speaker of the phone and growled. ~One of these days you're gonna get me into SO much trouble Tai. ~  
  
He cleared his throat timidly. "Errr... Arigatou Gale-sempai."  
  
"By the way, exactly HOW did you make them able to fly?"  
  
Izzy blanched. ~Tai!! You are such an idiot!! You FLEW in front of them??!!~ Izzy calmed himself.  
  
"Ih-it was pretty simple really, I'll send you the configurations later if you want... Say, is Tai there? I've been meaning to tell him something..."  
  
"Sure Izzy, hold up."  
  
Izzy clutched the phone tightly, and tapped into his anger, he would need it for yelling at Tai.  
  
"Ello?"  
  
"Why hello Tai." Izzy greeted darkly. "This is Professor Izumi speaking."  
  
Tai laughed nervously. "I-uh...I'm...I didn't know what else to say Izz!!"  
  
"SURELY, you could of thought of SOMEthing..."   
  
"Uhhh..."  
  
Izzy's voice rose, until Tai had to hold the phone away from his face to prevent going deaf.  
  
"And why did you fly in front of them??!! I mean, puh-lease Tai... Of all the stupid things you could of done, you had to do the STUPIDEST thing didn't you??"  
  
Tai scowled, as a ball of rage tightened in his chest.   
  
"Look Koushiro, if you called me just to give me crap about this, then YOU need a hobby!!"   
  
"For your information *Taichi,* YOUR mom called me to compliment on my new "invention." Do you EVER think before you speak? Jesus, Tai!!"  
  
Tai slammed the phone down on the table as hard as he could. "Boy Izzy, if you were here, that would've been your HEAD!!"  
  
"Oooooo... I'm *scared* Tai!!"  
  
By now, Tai and Izzy's family were watching the young boys quarrel over the phone, with no intention of stopping either of them. If they got too close, they might just get their head ripped off.  
  
In a different room, Hikari picked up the phone, and listened silently as the boys exchanged threats and taunts.  
  
"Well at least my I.Q. is higher than that of a potato!!"  
  
"Well at least I'm not some shrimpy guy who wishes he had a girl."  
  
"You take that back!!"  
  
"Make me!!"  
  
Tears of anger and frustration began to burn a path down Izzy's cheeks, and as a last resort desperation, he used the one thing that would hurt Tai the most.  
  
"At least I don't drag my sister outside when she's sick and almost kill her!!"  
  
Tai cried out, and dropped the phone. Kari bit her lip, but continued listening. On the other side of the line, Izzy was silently sobbing, and his family slowly shuffled away.   
  
Tai picked up the phone, his hand trembling. "God Izzy, I wish I could just go over there and KILL you RIGHT NOW!!!!"   
  
With that, he slammed down the phone so hard that the receiver shattered, and the cord was ripped from the wall. In one burst of speed, he sprinted to his room, and fell on his bed sobbing.   
  
Kari slowly set down the phone, numb with shock. ~Wow, he must REALLY care about me to get that upset about what happened before...~  
  
**************  
  
Tai lay on his bed all night, staring blankly at his bare walls. At around Eleven p.m., he fell into a troubled sleep.  
  
******************  
  
It was midnight in the Yagami's household, and everything *seemed* to be peaceful, but, in fact, it wasn't. In one of the small bedrooms, a boy groaned in his sleep, tossing and turning as he struggled not to crush his delicate wings.  
  
Sweat laced his forehead, and the sheets tangled around his limbs as if they had a desire to smother him. He was glowing faintly, a red entity in the dead black of the night. Something was trying to leave this boy, to be free after thousands of years. The teen's wings withered and withdrew into his back, and his golden claws did the same. A shadowy creature emerged from the child. It stretched its wings and flexed its gleaming talons. It looked tenderly down at the sleeping boy, it's foggy red eyes glowing like a beacon in the fog.  
  
It hissed, long and rich. "Sleep well dear boy, and I shall fulfill your wishessssss..."  
  
The boy relaxed with a sigh, and fell into an unnaturally deep sleep.  
  
****************  
  
The demon swooped low over the apartments of Odaiba, with only one thing on his mind. To fulfill his masters wishes. That phrase echoed over and over in his head, aching to be fulfilled.  
  
"I wish I could just go over there and KILL you RIGHT NOW!!!!... I wish I could just go over there and KILL you RIGHT NOW!!!!...God Izzy, I wish I could just go over there and KILL you RIGHT NOW!!!!"   
  
His master's angry voice drove him further. The voices would not stop... until they were obeyed. His mission was clear... seek out Izzy, and KILL him.  
  
***************  
  
*In a VERY loud and obnoxious voice* Okay, everybody raise your hand if you like cliffhangers!! *no one raises their hand* *evil laugh* Good... I guess you have no choice but to read the NEXT chapter when it comes out eh?   
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Nightmare

A/N: Sorry this took so long to get out you guys. I'll be doing the chapters shorter now so they will hopefully come out faster. ~_^ R & R, Rihatsu  
  
  
  
Odaiba's foggy horizon began to smear with pink as the sun rose over the sleepy town. A dark monster darted to the shadows. He had stayed out too long, and now the light had caught up with him. He zoomed up the side of a gray stone building, and into the room of a sixteen-year-old boy. It stopped at the foot of the teen's bed, and bowed slightly.   
  
"I have done your bidding, as you do mine." Then, the black monster gently laid himself on the boy, and melted into his skin with nothing but a moan in response.   
  
**************  
  
Something... something in the distance...was pounding... There was...yelling, cursing...and more pounding...It was getting nearer...and louder.  
  
Tai bolted up, immediately aware of the chaos that seemed to be going on behind his door.  
  
"Tai! Open up you I3 @ S t A R l)!!"   
  
That was Matt, he sounded on the verge of tears, and Tai was almost too scared to open the door. For not only was Matt one straw away from sobbing, but his voice also carried a searing hatred and rage that he never heard before. And for once in his life, he didn't know *why* Matt was mad at him. Tai thought that he could hear the other Digidestineds in the background, trying to calm Yamato down.  
  
He hesitantly opened the door, and braced himself.  
  
He was knocked to the ground, and hit his head so hard that his world spun. Matt was on top of him, bringing his fist back so he could knock Tai's brains out. Tai pushed his fists up, hitting Matt hard in his chest. There was no effect, but his fist didn't come down. Jyou was grasping Matt's punching arm.  
  
"Lemme go Jyou!!" Matt sobbed. "He killed Izzy!! I'm gonna kill that ungrateful slut!!"   
  
Tai gasped. "What are you guys talking about??"   
  
Jyou frowned sadly. "You should know Tai."  
  
Tai bit his lip. "Izzy's dead?"  
  
He nodded solemnly. "Like I said, you should know."  
  
Tai gasped. "You think *I* killed him??"  
  
Jyou didn't say anything, but instead focused on restraining Matt.  
  
Yamato stopped fuming for just a second and glared at Tai. "Where's your wings and claws Tai?" he sneered. "Did you decide to get rid of the evidence?"  
  
"Evidence?" Tai said weakly. His world was fading in and out, he was still in shock from learning Izzy was dead.  
  
Matt snarled at him. "Don't play stupid with me Tai!!"  
  
"Hunh...?"  
Tears began to sting Tai's eyes. Jyou lost grip of Matt, and the blonde boy sprang on Taichi, squishing him into the ground. His mind became really hazy, and it was suddenly swelteringly hot. He no longer saw anyone, just heard the low droning of their voices.   
  
He stood up; he was in some sort of empty space. There was nothing but blackness. Taichi took a few tentative steps forward, and froze. There was heavy breathing on the side of him, and two red orbs slowly got bigger as someone approached. He gasped and stumbled backwards, tripping and slamming into the ground.  
  
"Who are you?" he gasped.  
  
The creature laughed. An amused laugh, full of pleasure. "I am your worst nightmare, and yet, the Granter of all Your Wishes."  
  
"All my...wishes?"  
  
"Yes, and in turn, I get to live in you and feed of your energy."  
  
"What?? No! You can't!!"  
  
"Aaaahhh. But I already have."   
  
"Well... what about my wishes??" Tai demanded angrily.  
  
"That has been done as well, and it will continue to be done."  
  
Tai trembled. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Watch..."  
  
The red points of light representing the demons eyes slowly grew larger, enfulging Tai and causing his heart to race almost painfully. The blaze of color dulled and sharpened, and Tai found himself in Izzy's room. The auburn haired boy was sleeping peacefully in his bed. Tai couldn't have been happier.  
  
"Izzy!! Your alive."  
  
Izzy didn't stir. Tai rolled his eyes, and walked over to shake Izzy awake, but he was stopped dead in his tracks. There was a scratching at Izzy's window. :; scritch;; ;;scritch;; Tai gasped. ~Someone's trying to break in!~ Finally, the sounds stopped, only to be followed by the shattering of glass. Tai shrank against the wall. ~Oh no Oh no Oh no~ Someone, or something, was crawling through the window. First there was just a leg, and then the other leg. Now the figure slipped the rest of his body in, and Tai gasped. ~Those wings! That-that's me going through the window!!~ Tai mentally shook his head. ~No. I was sleeping last night. It-it must've been that evil dude... Yeah, that's it.~ He then realized that Izzy was in great danger, and he hurried to the foot of his bed and took a fighting stance.   
  
"Don't come any closer!!" he shouted threateningly.  
  
The demon ignored him, and continued forward. Tai tensed. The monster walked towards him, and then disappeared. Tai whirled around. Now the figure was at Izzy's bedside. ~He-he went right through me.~ The creature turned in Tai's direction, fixing his glowing red orbs on him, and then slashed at Izzy.   
  
  
Izzy's dark eyes snapped open, as red blood blossomed on his shoulder. He fixed his pained eyes on the monster. "What are you doing Tai?" he asked weakly.  
  
Tai felt he had been shot in the heart. That *was* him. He was the one who had just attacked Izzy, and Izzy recognized him. Before he could think more, the monster took another swipe at Izzy, and the boy screamed. "NO!!" Tai lunged for the animal, but only fell through him and hit the floor. Izzy began sobbing, and the monster slashed him again, with more ferocity. This time, the computer genius could only groan; he was losing strength   
  
~OH MY GOD!! Stoppit!!~ He punched the monster, praying that it would do some damage, but he was just a helpless ghost in this vision he had received. Tai's view was beginning to sway. ~There's so much blood...~ He snapped his eyes shut, and huddled on the floor where he sat, willing it to all go away. But no matter how hard he closed his eyes, or how fiercely he held his hands against his ears, he couldn't drown out the sounds of Izzy's death; the ;;shhhiiiinnggg;; of claws piercing air, the ripping sheets, and his friend's death cries.   
  
********************  
  
Matt glared at Tai with hatred, and then to his surprise, Tai passed out. He punched him in the jaw, just to sate him for the time being.  
  
"Hmph. Stupid M***ER FU*K**R murdering baka."  
  
"Watch your language Matt." Sora said firmly. "Besides, we don't know if Tai even killed Izzy."  
  
"Oh puh-lease!! Don't be such a sap!"  
  
Jyou left them to argue, and gently picked Tai up and set him on the bed. The younger boy's face was grimaced with fear, and sweat began to add sheen to his pale complexion. Jyou sighed. ~Why did you do it Tai? Kari told me you wanted to kill him, but it was just an argument. A stupid argument!~ Jyou drew away, and put his head in his hands. Then he wept silently as the others continued to argue.   
  
All attention was brought to Tai as their "leader" started mumbling. At first, it was too low and they couldn't pick it up. But it gradually got louder, and more pronounced.  
  
All my wishes....  
  
No....you can't....  
  
What do you mean....  
  
Don't come any closer...  
  
Stoppit...  
  
No...  
  
No...!  
  
NO!!!!   
  
He bolted up, thrashing around blindly until he slumped against the wall and started sobbing. "It was me.... You guys were right. I...killed Izzy. I-I didn't know... I didn't mean to... God, I'm so sorry..."  
  
Each Digidestined that was present regarded him differently yet silently.  
  
Matt: "I knew it! Stupid b***h. I knew he would 'fess up."  
  
Kari: "Tai, you wouldn't do this. What happened?"  
  
Sora: "We'll never see Izzy again, and Tai's to blame. Some leader *he* is. I can't believe I ever liked him."  
  
Jyou: "I can't understand you Tai..."  
  
TK: "This isn't right... there's someone, or something else to blame here. I don't think Tai did this willingly."  
  
Suddenly Tai gasped, and his face twisted in pain. He groaned, and his hands shot to his back. "No..." he moaned. "They're coming back."  
  
Two soft bones sprouted from his shoulder blades, and they quickly grew into their full splendor. He groaned softly, and leaned against the wall. He was exhausted. His fingernails began to melt away, and his fingers screamed in protest as claws drove through the tips of his fingers.   
  
Seeing that he was "ok," Matt was once again attacking him. This time, he leapt for Tai's throat, and jammed his fingers into the hollow of the fatigued boy's neck while the rest of his fingers pushed forwards from the back. Tai could only groan hoarsely and shift under Matt's grip. With some difficulty, Jyou and Sora managed to pry Matt off of Tai, and calm him down.   
  
Tai coughed again, and his eyelids got unbearably heavy. With a sigh he slumped backwards and fell asleep.  
  
The other Digidestined reluctantly left, with nothing to do but mourn Izzy's death. Why they had just left the killer sleeping soundly on the bed they didn't know.  
  
***************  
Taichi's eyes fluttered open. He was instantly aware that every muscle in his body ached. A few moments later, all the horrible memories flooded back to him, drawing tears from his eyes.   
  
~I can't stay here.~ He thought once he had calmed down. ~But where can I go?~   
  
The answer came to him almost instantly. ~Where there aren't many people. Where there are lots of places to hide. Where's there food... and... friends. The Digital World.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
